Open House Dublin Turns 10 this October

For one weekend only, homes and buildings around the city throw open their doors to the architecturally curious.

Open House Dublin is an annual weekend of free architecture tours, brought to you by the Irish Architecture Foundation. This year is the tenth anniversary of the event and takes place from the 16th – 18th October.

Whether you’re architecturally curious or just plain nosy, this is a great opportunity to get inside some of the city’s most interesting buildings. Over 100 tours, events and workshops invite you to explore the built environment of Dublin throughout the weekend.

It’s an extensive and diverse list that includes big names, such as Airbnb’s European HQ, AIB Bankcentre, Bartra Martello Tower, the Casino in Marino, Leinster House, and, love it or loathe it, dlr Lexicon.

If you’re looking to get inside some residential buildings or see some recent renovation projects there are open houses from Dalkey to Killester. A Georgian building currently undergoing restoration on North Great George’s Street will also be open to the public.

Walking tours of several areas are taking place, including The Liberties – Dublin’s mercantile quarter; the North Docklands; Temple Bar, as a living quarter; Dublin’s most radically altered district, Grand Canal Dock; and Ireland’s largest project of urban regeneration, Ballymun. There’s an interesting Reusing Dublin tour of the underused and hidden areas of the north inner city – available by lottery.

On its tenth birthday, Open House has grown from merely opening up houses to opening up a wider conversation. The theme of this year’s event ‘This Place We Call Home’ is about domesticity and urban space. It’s asking: Where do we live? How do we live? What do we live in?

OHD is looking at the past, present and future of housing in Dublin, and the current housing crisis. Talks, discussions and workshops will take place on this theme. The intention is to build on the festival’s celebration of architecture and to create an understanding of the processes and places in which we live.

Events are free and mostly available on a first-come-first-served basis. Do be prepared and equipped to queue. Some in-demand events are available through lottery only, so check ahead.